14th Sharing – Part 2             Background             Contents            

(Julian’s point’s on the foregoing 14 Sharings, & Sharings 15 & 16, in progress)

ch. XLIII

Prayer then unites the soul to God,
which, though it is His image,
restored by His good grace,
often comes unlike Him by our sin.
Then prayer shows we will as He wills,
comforting conscience,
enabling us to grace.

For this we are taught to pray,
To trust we shall have our true desire,
Held in His love,
partners in His good deed.

He stirs us to pray truly,
for what He desires to do,
and for this prayer, for this good will
He gives us true reward,
endless honour, endless praise.

God showed such pleasure and content
for our fervent prayer
as though He were greatly in debt to us
for each good deed we do
(yet it is He that does it)
that He will do all that seems good to Him.

But when by grace our courteous Lord
shows Himself to our soul,
we have our desire.
For a time we feel no need to pray.
All our intent, all our might,
is in beholding Him.

Yet this too is high, unperceived prayer,
united in the sight of Him,
marvelling with precious awe,
and so great sweetness and delight in Him,
that we cannot pray until He stirs us.

The more the soul sees of God,
the more it desires of Him,
and is one with Him.
Its prayer is its love of Him.

But when because of our failing
we see Him not so,
to strengthen ourselves
we feel the need to pray to Jesus.
but when the soul is tempestuous,
troubled, lonely in unrest,
then it is time to pray,
to make itself pliant,
obedient to God.
No prayer makes God pliant to the soul,
for He is always alike in love.

And this I saw:
when we see the need to pray,
our Lord follows us,
helping our desire.
When by His grace we see Him plain,
we see no other needs.
We follow Him,
He draws us to Himself by love,
His marvellous, plentiful goodness filling all our powers;
His continual work in all things,
done so goodly, wisely, mightily,
surpasses all we can imagine.

We can only see and enjoy Him,
with a high, mighty desire to be one with Him,
centered to His dwelling,
enjoying Him,
delighting in His goodness.

Then shall we with His sweet grace,
in our meek continual prayer
come to Him in this life
by many sweet touches,
sweet spiritual insights and feelings,
given according to our simple understanding
by grace of the Holy Spirit
until we die longing for love.
Then we shall come to our Lord
ourselves fully knowing,
God fully having,
fully seeing,
feeling, hearing,
delectably breathing,
sweetly drinking.

Then we shall see God face to face,
homely and fully.
The creature shall behold
and endlessly enjoy the Maker.
No man may see God and live;
that is in this deadly life.

But,
when He of His special grace,
will show Himself here,
He strengthens the creature above itself,
apportioning the shewing
as is profitable for the soul.